Noble or Not
by ReaderWriterFan
Summary: He...is a notorious pirate known for his pilfering and sword work.   She...is a lady on her father's merchant ship. What happens when their worlds collide?   Shunsui/Nanao. A bit of Rangiku/Gin and Unohana/Ukitake
1. Not a Good Start

**Not a Good Start**

Thank you for reading this and I don't own Bleach. Sorry there's no Nanao/Shunsui...yet. Please give me feedback.

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><p>Clear skies, calm seas, and a brisk breeze set a small smile on Nanao Ise's face as she sat on a nearby crate, a thick book in hand. Her sense of peace was abruptly interrupted as her best friend, Rangiku Matsumoto, leapt at her with a bright smile on her face.<p>

"Nanao! Why are you reading on this beautiful day?" Her bubbly voice and laughter filled the deck of the ship. Voice muffled, Nanao struggled to get out of Rangiku's death grip as her choked voice was barely audible over the slapping of the waves against the boat and Rangiku's giggling.

"Rangiku, you better stop soon. Nanao seems to be choking." A soft voice immediately cutting through the giggling of Rangiku as Retsu Unohana, one of the only woman doctors in that time period walked out of her cabin.

Nanao was abruptly dropped as frantic calls filled the deck of the ship, all eyes turned towards the ship that was approaching theirs, a distinct flag fluttering at the mast. A white flag with single flower. The sakura blossom. Panic spread throughout the ship as the white flagged ship approached.

Their panic came from the fear of the pirates that steered the large ship, for even if there was only three of them, all three were master swordsman and they were known throughout the lands. Their symbol? The pink sakura blossom.

Havoc surrounded the three woman as they looked upon the ship with grave faces. It was quite a sight, with the three women that stood there staring at the pink flower and the hysteric men around them some gathering weapons and the rest just standing there; their eyes were wide with fear and their pale hands trembled as the ship drew closer.

Despite the captain's efforts to outrun the ship rather than fight a doomed battle, his efforts failed against one of the fastest ship in the oceans. The larger ship coasted next to the smaller merchant ship as two men leaped upon the deck both with silver hair though one had left it long, the other had his cut short, both had a weapon in hand.

The one with long hair had two swords, one in each hand and the swords were identical in every way. They were connected by a long red rope and the curved blades glinted in the sunlight. The man with the short silver hair held a short wakizashi and a smile on his face his eyes were slits and they opened for a second to show their ice blue color.

Rangiku had frozen at the sight of the two men. One of the sailors who had been gathering weapons charged forward in an act of brash bravery (or stupidity). The two men leaped into action; one disarming the man of his weapon, the other knocking him out.

With apprehensive looks the other men charged forward, yelling to conceal their fear. Taking on several at once the two men danced between flashing steel and fists. Within ten minutes the 30 men that had charged forward all lay on the deck, knocked out. This left only the three women standing in the field of unconscious men yet not a single drop of blood had been shed in the brawl.

Picking through the fools the two men approached. None of the women shied away, Rangiku had snapped out of her reverie and now stared defiantly at the two men.

"I apologize ladies," spoke the man with the long hair,

"but we must take you with us for ransom. We hope you come peacefully." Nanao's mind began to race through scenarios and possibilities. No. She shook her head, there was no other way. They would have to follow the two men onto the boat unless they wanted to be knocked out like her poor men.

Head held high, Nanao stepped carefully onto the deck of the second ship with Unohana following her, a serene smile on her face. Rangiku, grumbling, followed them and gave a piercing glare at the short haired man, who had kept his smile on his face.

On the ship there sat one man, who lay there hat covering his eyes and dressed in an outrageous pink kimono. Raising the brim of his hat, his chocolate brown eyes met a pair of defiant sapphire blue ones; his eyes revealed nothing and only one person could tell he had been impacted.

"Jyuushirou, Gin please take the ladies down into the cabins." After he had spoken this order, he picked up a bottle from the folds of his robes.

Two glares were shot at the two men as they gently led the ladies down into a well furnished chamber. It was lavish and had many luxuries within. Leading them in, the men backed out and locked the door. Immediately Rangiku gave a smile and raising a bobby pin before fitting it in the lock and beginning to move it slowly.

With the men however Gin and Jyuushirou were standing on deck talking with the pink clad man.

"Shunsui, what happened with you?" Jyuushirou had been chewing Shunsui out for the past ten minutes. Gin stood to the side his smile in place as he interrupted the heated conversation,

"Ukitake, Kyouraku, you might want to debate about this later because if I'm right, the ladies are getting out…now."

A click sounded through the quiet hallways as the door swung open and the ladies stepped out with Rangiku and Nanao armed with their weapons; Unohana remained faithful to the oath she took as a doctor and kept her katana sheathed until someone decided to provoke her…than it would be better to run.

Rangiku kept her katana held warily in front of her and Nanao with a ball of green acidic fire in hand that would eat through only human flesh, being the inventive sorceress she was. Edging down the passageway, the deck swaying beneath them, they were confronted by the three men.

Thrusting the ball of acid forward Nanao's cold voice echoed eerily,

"I can send this flying at you and you would be nothing but bones in five minutes so you better go back up those stairs and turn this ship around.

"Not likely~" Gin's taunting voice said as he held Rangiku at knife point.

"If you want your friend to live than you will turn around back into your cell back now." Rangiku seemed infuriated as Nanao slowly moved her hands down and suddenly the ball of green turned a bright blue and it burst through the deck as Gin, Unohana, Rangiku, and Nanao fell through the hole.

All four landed on their feet at the bottom of the ship with Unohana pointing a sword at the neck of Ichimaru.

"Tsk. Tsk. Chivalry seems to have finally died. Since when does a gentlemen attack a lady?" Unohana's eyes glinted dangerously. Gin backed slowly away from the blonde his smile still on his face. Nanao felt herself pulled back as Kyouraku pressed the tip of his wakizashi into Nanao's windpipe. They were at a stand off once more.


	2. Noble Intentions

**Well if you're reading this, thank you! Let's see...if there are any mistakes I apologize and I don't own Bleach. **

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><p><strong>Noble Intentions<strong>

The tension built as the six watched each other warily, each side with a hostage. Lifting her blade, Rangiku leveled it at the Gin's throat as Unohana backed away to the wall once more sheathing and hiding her sword. The tension mounted even higher. Finally it burst as chaos reigned in the confined space.

Breaking away from Rangiku's sword, Gin began to dance with Rangiku as their blades flickered between them in a deadly dance. The blocks that seemed effortless to an outsider caused their blades to tremble, under the weight and power that they placed in each blow. Finally this violent dance of blades ceased once Gin's knife cut shallowly into her arm. She fainted, wide-eyed with fear and disbelief.

"Don't ya worry Ran. Ya won't sleep forever." Gin whispered as he caught the girl.

At the imaginary border that had separated calm from turmoil stood Ukitake and Unohana after a silent truce had been reached between the two. Slowly getting up, Unohana began to move towards the mismatched pair of silver and gold before the man sitting against the wall grabbed her arm and shook his head slowly. Unohana slowly allowed herself to be pulled back from the battlefield.

Their battle was nearly evenly matched and as flashes of steel and sudden bursts of heat and light coming from the sorceress's hand as she shot spell after spell at the man who had been singed by the fire more than once…just as the sorceress had been shallowly cut by his blade several times. Their eyes flashed from this light and they wouldn't stop their battle until one or the other fell to their own exhaustion. In the end it was a tie between the two.

Desperation began to tinge in Nanao's eyes as her expansive reserves of magic had begun to wane under the constant spell casting, so she began to mutter a final spell that would hopefully take effect over him. Once the last word had been uttered she thrust her hands forward at the man, and this time no blinding light came from those palms. This time, a thread of gray smoke snaked out and slowly wrapped around the man, and as more and more of these threads piled on, he began to slow in his movements…but not before he had managed to smack Nanao with the hilt of one of his swords. Soon both were motionless.

Silently the two men and single women lifted the three incapacitated bodies and left them in a single room for Unohana to treat until their afflictions had faded. That took all of three days.

By the end of these three days, the ship had reached a port to fix the hole in the floor and Shunsui had awoken to join the other two men to find a carpenter that would willingly fix the hole in the floor but…before he had left he had locked and barred the doors.

Once both Nanao and Rangiku had awoken a few hours after Kyouraku had left they immediately tested the door for anyway out. There wasn't. The only available openings were two porthole windows; one set in the side of the ship, the other leading out into the hallway. Both were locked and to add on, even if they had found some way to unlock these windows they were much too small to allow the women through.

After the entirety of the small room had been swept over and over, they lay there finding no escape , no door or window they could use to their advantage. All weapons had been taken from them, Nanao's magic had been safely sealed with a pair of silver cuffs that hung from her wrists, and worst of all…they were bored.

While Rangiku and Nanao had managed to pry both windows open the slightest crack to allow both air and sound in they remained trapped and bored of the room. Within a few minutes, Nanao and Rangiku had begun a debate of the men with Unohana cutting in at opportune times to input a piece of information.

This discussion was soon broken by three familiar voices that wafted in on a tendril of wind that had crept in through the porthole that led to the side of the ship.

"You see good sir, one of the here accidentally dropped a cannonball through the deck. I was hoping that you would fix this horrendous scar of our ship." The voice was a deep, smooth voice that seemed to radiate confidence and noble raising.

Two jaws dropped at the respectably dressed men that had the same voices of their kidnappers, stood on the dock with their jaws set in a noble angle. The three once ragtag men now looked like respectable, noble, merchants that had an accident.

_Who were these men? _Nanao's mind raced with the sudden spectacle. Whoever those men happened to be, they were leading a man onto the ship down to the hole near their room.

Their voices drifted in through the porthole that led out into the hallway,

"Here is the hole itself." Spoke the eerily familiar voice of Shunsui Kyouraku, though with the dialect of a noble man. Undecipherable mutters followed that statement and suddenly the boat began to move into the harbor.

As it was brought in, Gin was sent into the room, in the clothes of a nobleman or well off merchant.

"Follow me," Gin walked out of the room and led the three through the hallways,

"don't try to attack me. I warn you that those cuffs that the young miss has on will explode if I wish it, so watch your step."

Two deathly glares drilled into Gin as Nanao glared at the cuffs on her wrists as if wishing they would disappear. Guiding the three ladies into a small room, hidden from the main part of the tavern as loud voices spilled into the semi dark room as two pairs of eyes looked up from a map that lay on the table.

Light fell upon the fine clothing they wore and their "learned" voices faded as the two men looked at the three standing in the doorway while Gin slipped back into the dark.

"Who are you?" Nanao's voice broke through the carouse laughter that continued to spill in. All three looked at each other. Speechless. Explanations are soon to be given.

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><p>Please Review.<p> 


	3. Not Such a Vagrant

Well first of all I would like to thank all the reviewers and I'm glad you're all enjoying it! I hope that you will continue to enjoy reading. I do not own Bleach by the way. Now that I have gotten everything out of the way you may commence reading.

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><p><strong>Not Such a Vagrant<strong>

Standing up, Ukitake went to shut the door, muffling the voices and dimming the room even further. The glow of a candle lit up the small, crowded room. Shunsui began their tale,

"Well as you can see, we are not mere vagabonds that have no raising whatsoever. You might recognize me, for I am Kyouraku Shunsui." One of the three started in surprise as she recognized the name.

"N-N-N-No way! Kyouraku Shunsui was a noble that disappeared around five years ago!" Nanao cried out. Gravely nodding, Kyouraku continued to speak,

"That is me and this is Jyuushirou Ukitake," while he gestured to Ukitake,

"and Gin Ichimaru." Rangiku's eyes widened imperceptibly at this introduction as Unohana patiently waited and listened, the explanation would come soon she knew.

Disbelief clouded Nanao's face as she her skeptical look slid over the three men, comparing them to portraits that she had seen when her tutors had taught her. Each bore a distinct similarity to the unsmiling, serious portraits that remained whirling in her mind. It couldn't be possible! Could it? Suddenly Gin cut in,

"How'd ya figure out we were nobles anyway?" Startled, Nanao explained,

"I had been tutored since I was a small child, Rangiku received the same treatment and Unohana-san?" Nanao turned to face Unohana,

"Well I had known Kyouraku and Jyuushirou when we were children." Double takes were taken as recognition lit up both Ukitake and Shunsui's eyes,

"Retsu?"

"Retsu-Chan!"

Once more Gin's voice interrupted as he began to explain,

"All of us came from noble families, it's true. We were all friends from childhood and had known each other for quite a while. Soon it was Shunsui's 16th birthday, they were holding a big ball and it was during this ball, his parents announced his betrothal," at this Nanao seemed to fidget and Shunsui continued the tale,

"I was unwilling to marry because I was not about to let go of my freedom so early on. So, I ran away. Jyuu and Gin here followed along with me and here we are today." Giving a flourish with these words, Kyouraku seemed to try and lighten the tension within the room.

Nanao attempted to hide her stare but Rangiku openly gaped at the supposed nobles finally Nanao broke the silence with a simple question,

"Was getting married such an atrocious though to you?" Kyouraku shuddered and showing some of his overdramatic personality answered,

"YES! Of course, I don't wish to be tied down to someone so early in my life!" A single eyebrow raises as Nanao looked at the drama king a glare.

"Aw, do you hate me Nanao-Chan?" Another glare was sent his way as Nanao stiffened,

"Don't call me that. It's inappropriate!" Cowering under the force that had Nanao had shown, Kyouraku was about to reply childishly with a whine before Unohana broke in,

"I suggest we all get to bed soon before the boat is fixed if we wish to have energy in the morning." Nodding in agreement, Ukitake swung the door open to allow the loud laughter and light to pour in the room. Slowly they made their way up to the rooms,

"Umm…sorry ladies but one of you will need to room with one of us the rooms can fit only two people." Ukitake mumbled. Nodding, Unohana's eyes flashed dangerously flashed as all three of the men stepped back while the ladies conferred,

"I will not sleep in the same room as any of those men." Rangiku's voice was flat and allowed no argument.

The first smirk Rangiku has had in days slowly stretched across her face,

"Nanao…"

"NO!"

"But Nanao!"

"NO!"

"Please!" Rangiku continued to plead until Nanao finally burst, exasperated,

"Fine! But 1 one of you will have to take my place tomorrow!" A happy Rangiku leapt at Nanao,

"Thank you!" Struggling out of Rangiku's grasp, Nanao only met a wall…a living, breathing wall that is,

"Nanao-Chan! I will share my room with you!" Nanao only shot a helpless glare at the rest of the group as they watched on, withholding snickers while Nanao was dragged off to her doom…or was she.

A whap resounded through the corridor as within the room that Shunsui had dragged Nanao she hit him with the fan that she had hidden within her sleeve while she attempted to prevent herself from harming the man more than was repairable.

"Ow! Nanao-Chan hit me! Why would you do that to me?" Cutting in through Kyouraku's laments, Nanao spoke through the door her voice amused with the childish way Shunsui held himself,

"You know? I might be able to survive the night after all." Smiles shared through the small crowd, Ukitake handed the key to the girl's room and they left to their respective rooms for the night.

Throughout the night however in the shared room, loud sounds came from the room. They ranged from amorous declarations to yells of outrage. Needless to say no one got sleep that night…except the two rooms of people that had expected this to happen and slept like the dead. Though even in this turmoil, there was a lull of silence right before the sun would rise.

A quiet conversation had ensued during this lull of silence,

"You know? Once when I was only a child of only eleven, my parents had betrothed me to an unknown man same as you." One of Kyouraku's eyes slid open to stare at Nanao as she continued her monologue, ignoring him, she continued to fall back into the past,

"It had been a normal day, I was outside in the garden, reading before my tutor came. Both of my parents walked outside, I didn't find this abnormal, they came out regularly to join me. Than they told me that I was to marry when I was to turn 17. I accepted this, almost grateful for they could've said I was to marry at 15 or 16. I would have more time than. But suddenly my father rushed me onto that merchant ship you had seen me in. I don't know why, he just did." Falling silent both contemplated their situation before Kyouraku began to speak,

"My parents hadn't even warned me, just announced it during my birthday. I was completely stunned," laughing bitterly, he continued,

"I probably looked like an idiot but than rage began to grow in my heart, I couldn't believe they would do this to me, they should've known that I was not the sort of person who would enjoy being dragged down so early in life. They should've known." This last statement was quiet, whispered.

They remained silent and quiet for the rest of the time until the sun rose and the door to their room creaked open. Shunsui had his happy go lucky face glued to his real face while Nanao fended off his advances, they seemed normal on the surface. A new bond had formed between the two and this would be the beginning.

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><p>Since you're reading this please Review.<p> 


	4. Noble of Interest

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach in any way.

To all who reviewed, thank you and some of your questions will be answered in this installment. Some answers will have to come later, so patience! This chapter is a bit longer than the others and please review!

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><p><strong>Noble Person of Interest<strong>

Sneaky smiles were shared among the group until Nanao finally burst in exasperation,

"Will you stop grinning at each other? Nothing happened!"

"Oh nothing happened did it Nanao?" Rangiku replied, her eyes dancing in delight and spite.

"Nothing!" She snapped once more though in retaliation Shunsui decided to let his childish disposition take hold.

"Aw, Nanao-Chan you would call our heartfelt conversation last night nothing!" Crocodile tears slid down his face as he lamented. A hard glare was shot in his direction, no words needed.

Walking down to the pier where the ship was being repaired an idea had popped into Nanao's head and as it remained firmly rooted in her head, she turned to face the three men who were silently thinking.

"Why did you take us in the first place?" Her voiced question broke through the thoughts of the other five while Shunsui and Ukitake looked surprised and slightly apprehensive of the question, Gin answered immediately,

"Why? Well we caught your ship to replace our funds and supplies first of all, second of all to retain our name, and third because we were planning on ransoming you but I suppose that's out of the question now." All of this was said so nonchalantly that it took minutes before the answer had sunk in. Two screams and dangerous glare sent two of the men running and causing the third to disappear into a nearby alley.

Eventually the two were caught and as they tried to babble excuses or reasons for attempting to ransom the woman. A whack to the head quickly sent the men cowering and touching their tender heads.

Gin slipped into the group, thinking it was safe to reenter the fray…he was wrong. Rangiku's fist met his fist as he attempted to dodge her blow…in the end of it though, he had received a whack to the head for his troubles,

"Geez Ran, what was that for?" Gin rubbed at the bump that was forming on his head,

"That was for attempting to ransom us." A smirk that rivaled even Gin's had grown on Rangiku's face,

"Ah but Ran we've still got you under our control since Ise-San here still has the silver bracelets on." Looks of shock and surprise met the statement as Nanao lifted her sleeves to reveal the shining bracelets. As Rangiku was about to lunge for Gin, they reached the boatyard.

Slipping into their aristocratic masks they all turned into nobility before the man standing before them,

"I'm sorry, but your boat will need another few days being fixed up before she's sea worthy again." Saying nothing, Shunsui gave nothing but a dismissing nod and walked off his face turned in a secret smile as the workman stood there shaking his head before turning back to the damaged boat.

Relaxing back into his normal posture, Shunsui turned to the girls and gave the girls a smile,

"So where are we headed today?" Simultaneously all three gave different answers,"Bookstore."

"Tailor!"

" I wouldn't mind replenishing my medicinal supplies." Shrugging, Ukitake replied to the last of the statements,

"I could accompany her to get my cough medicine." Unohana said nothing giving only a nod. Smiling, (or was he smirking?) Shunsui leapt for Nanao as she fended him off with her fan,

"I will protect my Nanao-Chan from all harm and accompany her to the bookstore!"

"Since when have I become YOURS?" Nanao's outrage followed in her wake,

"I suppose that just leaves me with ya Ran-Chan." Making a face, Rangiku ran off as her face brightened,

"You'll have to catch me first!" Sprinting off, Rangiku ran into the distance and as Gin followed her, the group peeled off in their general directions.

The quiet tinkling of a bell announced the two's arrival at the apothecary . Examining the shelves stacked with herbs and bandages, Unohana began to reach for odds and ends that she believed they would need in the future. Ukitake had already found his medicine and shadowed Unohana, acting like a curious child, asking what each herb did and what she planned to use it for.

Going through her mental checklist of bandages and herbs Unohana realized that there was one last component that she was missing. Looking about for the single plant she was missing she finally got a glimpse of it hidden behind a bottle of a questionable substance on a high shelf.

Ukitake had slipped out of the shop for a moment to buy a last minute item and as Unohana strained to grab the herb she felt someone behind her reach out and pluck it from her grasping fingertips. Turning to face the person who had grabbed the herb, she was surprised to find Ukitake's face a few mere inches away from her own. Blushing, Ukitake took a step back and handed her the herb before mumbling out,

"Are you done?" Merely nodding, Unohana remained speechless as she handed him the multiple healing aids she had chosen to buy.

Approaching the shopkeeper, both internally recoiled from the creepy man with the excessive makeup and mask.

"Will this be it for you?" Shivering from the chilling tone that the man had, they said nothing and merely nodded in response. Looking up to face the customers, the man gave an eerie grin and directed his question at Unohana,

"Are you the female doctor, Retsu Unohana?" Peering closer at her, the man gave a smirk and spoke once more,

"Aha! I knew it! Hmm…you are an anomaly, your brain seems unique. May I take a look?" The odd question silenced Unohana and Ukitake as both stared at the disturbed man. Accepting the silence as her consent the man reached for a scalpel that lay on the counter.

Waking from his stupor, Ukitake gave a rare glare at the insane man,

"No. We must leave now. Good bye." Taking the bags of medicine and healing supplies in one hand, he led Unohana out with the other.

As the bright sunlight of the afternoon hit her full in the face, she blinked and as the events began to trickle back in her mind, Unohana showed no outward reaction except for her quivering hands as she kept her dignified face. Keeping quiet, Ukitake allowed her to think.

They weren't the only ones who had problems, in the streets of the town, Rangiku darted among them with Gin following behind her as she kept just out of his hands.

People leaping out of the way of the rampaging pair, heads shook disapprovingly as they disappeared around the next corner. Finally Rangiku, unknowing of the town, met a tall wall of brick as she slowly turned to face Gin. He approached like a fox with his prey. Rangiku was cornered.

The euphoria of joy that Rangiku had been feeling began to fade as the expression on Gin's face reminded her of a past memory…one that involved a smaller version of Gin and his smiling face. Tears slid silently down her cheeks leaving tracks behind.

Catching her as she fell, Gin cradled her in his arms as she cried and spoke between her tears,

"Why did you leave? You promised you would stay with me even when my father had us move. You disappeared suddenly, leaving no trace." After her cries had declined Gin's voice came out, soft and honest.

"Ran, I didn't want to leave, believe me I didn't. I'm so sorry for breaking your heart, don't worry I won't leave you ever again. Please don't cry Ran, I still can't handle your tears." As her tears slowed she turned to face the close-eyed man who had left her several years ago,

"I expect you to explain one of these days but for now I'm content with your promise. Just don't break it." Whispering, Rangiku allowed a final tear to slip down her cheek before standing and pulling Gin with her,

"Come on I need to get a new dress, this one got stained from the mud." Both were smiling now as they headed for the nearest tailor.

Her temper was about to blow, Nanao turned to the man behind her and spoke, her eyes lighting up in flames, with her temper shooting higher,

"I told you I am not yours nor are you allowed to call me Nanao-Chan!" Kyouraku feigned a look of surprise,

"Nanao-Chan looks so cute when she's angry!" The need to slam her head in the wall was becoming imminent.

As she resisted the urge to slam her head into the lines of books, Nanao got an idea as she caught a glance of an interesting and best of all, it was large. While Kyouraku remained oblivious to her plan, she edged towards the large tome. Easing it slowly off the shelf, she weighed it in her hands and kept it hidden from Kyouraku's view,

"Nanao-Cha-" the tome slammed into his face, soon after Nanao approached the cashier and spoke,

"I would like to buy this!" A secret smile lit up her face, this would be useful.

Unknowing, as Nanao had bought the large book, a figure was watching her from a dark corner. This figure had smiled a cold, icy smile as he caught sight of Nanao's face as she left the store with Kyouraku bemoaning of her cruelness. The figure followed silently in their footsteps and they continued their banter, unknowing.


	5. Not the Best Future

****Well here it is, chapter five. Hmm...oh yeah! A shout out to Akai-Miko for reviewing every chapter I've posted! Thanks again!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

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><p><strong>Not the Best Future<strong>

By the time they returned to the tavern they stayed at the night before, the sun had begun to set, all noticed subtle changes in each other's appearance. No one commented on the smudges of dirt that had appeared on Gin's and Rangiku's clothing, nor the slight trembling in Unohana's hands as they climbed the stairs to their rooms.

Glaring at the other two, Nanao said nothing only allowed the two to figure out the lucky one that would share the room with one of the men for tonight.

"I'll do it."

"I volunteer for this night." Both looked, surprised at the other's willingness as they were startled out of their contemplation. A twinkle of mischief had entered Kyouraku's eyes as he caught hold of an intriguing notion created from the day's earlier events.

"Retsu-Chan can go with Juushirou, and Rangiku-Chan can go with Ichimaru-Kun! Problem solved!" Pushing the four towards their respective rooms, Kyouraku smiled and completely forgot about Nanao as he mumbled under his breath,

"Ah, I always did love matchmaking and besides Retsu-Chan and Juushirou have always had a spark."

Feeling a shiver go up his spine, he slowly turned to meet the suddenly ice blue eyes of one ANGRY Nanao Ise,

"What have you done? First of all, I'm stuck with you tonight again and second of all, by doing this, you could've dredged up horrible memories for-"

"Yare, yare, Nanao-Chan, what's done is done, there's no need to be so angry, and there's no way to reverse it. No-" He was cut off by the large book that came hurtling from the hands of an angry Nanao. Grumbling, she dragged the unconscious Kyouraku into the room while she let out a groan, this was going to be a long night.

Heaving his inert body onto one of the beds, Nanao flopped down on the second one as she looked at the man's slack face, as he slept, unconscious. Tilting her head to one side, Nanao gave a small smile as she gazed at the man who seemed like a lazy, womanizing drunkard at first glance. After a bit of time spent with the fool however, anyone could tell that he was intelligent and a very caring man.

Sighing, Nanao slumped down at the second bed pondering past choices and some of the difficult decisions that she had had to make. Quietly she muttered to herself,

"Should I tell him that I was the one betrothed to him all those years ago? I do not wish for things to change between us." Musing the choice she had made, she did not notice the open eyes of Shunsui,

"Why did you not tell me Nanao?" For once his voice was quiet and serious rather than the loud and boisterous yelling he usually used. Startled by the question, Nanao stammered out an answer,

"I-I-I didn't wish to make things any different between us, it seems that I am the one that dragged you to the life of a pirate." An uncharacteristically bitter laugh escaped Kyouraku's lips,

"Do not worry sweet Nanao-Chan, it is not you, it was my parents who did not understand my free spirit. Actually I thank you for ridding me of the noble life." Staring at the confusing man, Nanao pushed her glasses up her nose and brushed aside a stray piece of hair as she contemplated his answer.

Laughing softly at her expression, Kyouraku twisted his face in thought to think of a way to explain more clearly,

"Well, I suppose I knew that I would grow shaped by my parents, because of our betrothal that pushed me over the edge I would grow freely and by my will. Do you understand?" Nodding thoughtfully at his words, Nanao gave a small smile at the lift of her heavy thoughts. Tackling her, Shunsui landed on her saying,

"My Nanao-Chan looks SO cute when she smiles like that!" Closing her shaking fist, Nanao calmed and let go if only for a second to enjoy the smell of sakura petals and sake on the man before whacking him calmly with her fan. Allowing herself a secret smile she looked at the whimpering man who was currently hovering in a corner, drinking sake for his "cruel Nanao-Chan" where she saw not the drunkard that everyone else saw but underneath the role he played.

The two most surprised by the push were Unohana and Ukitake even when they had known the man for several years prior, were still surprised by their flamboyant and rambunctious friend after twenty years. Than realizing that they were in the same room, Ukitake's face flushed red as he turned to exit the room mumbling,

"I'll leave you here to your room while I go get Shun. Be right back." Grabbing hold of the handle, he turned only to find it unyielding. Silently cursing at his best friend and promising his long death, he turned to Unohana's peaceful face,"It appears Shun has locked the doors on us. I apologize Retsu it appears we must share our quarters tonight." Muttering all of this, Ukitake kept the flush on his cheeks before he began to cough.

A white handkerchief covered his mouth as he coughed,

"So your cough continues to ail you even twenty years after you had received it." Holding the red stained cloth to his lips, Ukitake spoke with muffled words,

" Yes Retsu, and I'm fine though every doctor I have seen has told me that I would die an early death." Quietly thinking if only for a minute, Unohana replied,

"Not every doctor for I have not diagnosed you yet." Looking at the woman in surprise, Ukitake's eyes widened as he flushed a bright red,

"Oh no, I am sure to die after seeing so many doctors, please do not trouble yourself." Waving the handkerchief around, Ukitake tried to emphasize his point before collapsing with the exertion. Abruptly changing the subject, Unohana spoke,

"Is that the handkerchief I gave you when we were 13?" Glancing at the piece of cloth in his hands, Ukitake closed his eyes as if in shame before speaking,

"Yes, I've kept it all these years while we traveled the world." A soft smile graced Unohana's face,

"I thank you for keeping it in such well condition all these years. I also must thank you for this morning." The deep, hacking cough, stopped long enough for Ukitake to reply in between his coughing,

"It…was no…problem. I couldn't just…let that g-" Before he managed to finish his sentence, Ukitake collapsed to the floor coughing.

Sitting him up, Unohana made him swallow some of the medicine he had bought only that morning before letting him lie down as he silently coughed. Stroking some of the hair from his forehead, Unohana sat up throughout the night, trying to calm Ukitake's violent cough. 

In the room of Rangiku and Gin however, they each sat on a bed as Rangiku listened carefully to Gin's words, 

"So ya knew me to be a street urchin when ya saw me last, didn't ya Ran?" Nodding, Rangiku beckoned for him to continue,

"I wasn't an actual street urchin, I escaped my parents when I was five and had lived on the streets only a month before I met you. Than I decided I would remain an urchin forever just to stay next to you, but after you moved, I was packing my meager belongings to follow but suddenly a bunch of men took me off back to my parents. I kept trying to run away but they wouldn't leave me alone! It wasn't until Kyouraku's ball before I could run off. Even than I couldn't find you. I'm sorry Ran, I couldn't protect you nor keep my promise." Rangiku's eyes were glittering with unshed tears, as she leapt at Gin, 

"Thank you for being there for me when you could. I should've known you wouldn't leave me." Her words were all said through glittering tears that trailed down her cheeks. Saying nothing, his ever present smile still there as he wiped tears from her face, 

"It's alright Ran we've made it, come on don't cry on me! Ya know I can't stand ya crying!" 

Their past cleared and the present mended, all that was left was the future. All expected a smooth future, no bumps, no problems that they would need to clear. They were wrong because even as all fell asleep in the arms of another, a dark shadow crept in on their dreams. 

Smiling as he darted in the darkened room, a man with cold brown eyes and a scheming smile entered the room of Nanao and Kyouraku. As he clapped his hand over Nanao's mouth to muffle her screams, she cursed the silver bracelets that took away her defense. Drawing her wakizashi from her sleeve, she slashed out at the man, cutting his cheek and distracting him for a precious second. Growling, the man grabbed her wrists and carried her out while her fists tried to inflict as much damage as possible. Throughout the silent battle, Kyouraku slept deeply, unknowing of Nanao's fate. 


	6. Noble Kidnapping

****Ok, first of all I'm so sorry! I've hit a case of writer's block and couldn't get rid of it till now. But thank you for reading nonetheless even with my horrible work ethic and I hope you enjoy! Please review!

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><p><strong>Noble Kidnapped<strong>

Nanao gave a groan as she woke to blurry vision and a dark room. Assessing herself, she found herself tied to a chair, her glasses off, and a throbbing head.

"My parents will have your head for this!" She threatened her voice steely and cold as she fit a mask over her face. A chilling laugh greeted her as a candle was lit in the room.

The candle's weak light revealed a bare room with no windows and only a single door at the top of the stairs. The man who carried the candle was a man with brown hair slicked back, and cold, brown eyes, "They're not coming." The man gave a snort at Nanao's apparent naivety. She straightened, offended by his offhand manner,

"I will have you-" Snorting, the man interrupted Nanao with a roll of his eyes,

"Yes, yes, but your parents have no idea you're here now do they? Now stay quiet, it'd be pity to ruin that pretty face of yours." The man said with another chilling laugh before leaving the candle in the room and walking out the door.

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Nanao pulled at the tight bonds which bound her wrists only managing to chafe her wrists. Though as the blood dripped down her hands her mind suddenly turned to a different thought…twisting back as far as possible, Nanao couldn't catch a single glimmer of silver that was usually clamped around her wrists. Smirking, she could feel a spark dancing on her finger.

Kyouraku woke slowly and looked across the room to search for the beautiful form of his Nanao-chan. A pout appeared on his face when he found the room empty. With the burden of having to get up, Kyouraku sighed and swept out of the room to check whether she had let the others out of their rooms. In his hurry, he hadn't noticed the wakizashi knife or the glasses that lay glittering on the floor of his room.

Slowly his concern grew as he found the rooms still locked and not a trace of Nanao. The rest of the group watched, amused at Kyouraku's anxiety,

"She's probably found somewhere to read or be alone." Rangiku said with a roll of her eyes and a bite of her breakfast. Kyouraku however did not share these reassurances when he returned to their room and found the unsheathed, wakizashi blade and glasses that lay on the floor.

Falling to his knees, the blade and glasses clutched carefully-almost tenderly-in his hands, Kyouraku held them with shaking hands. Looking sharply up, he declared to the empty room,

"Whoever did this will pay dearly."

The table shook as Rangiku stood, her fists slamming into the surface of the table,

"Nanao has been what?" She screeched, alerting every person at a fifty feet radius of their predicament. Shushing her with an anxious look, Kyouraku looked at all of them with a steady gaze that Ukitake and Unohana had seen only once,

"She has been kidnapped." His voice was smooth and steady like the calm before the storm. Shaking her head, Rangiku sat back in her seat, arms crossed as she glared at Kyouraku,

"How do we know your not lying?"

"Because of these." Kyouraku said once more in the monochromatic voice as he carefully lay the knife and the wireframe glasses on the table. Rangiku fell silent, eyes wide as she stared at the evidence. Stepping forward, her face remained composed though concern and worry lurking beneath her thinly veiled eyes as she spoke,

"What will we do now?"

Grimacing as the ropes fell to the floor, Nanao reached down to untie her legs only to find her hands covered in blood and burn marks at her attempts of reaching the rope. Gritting her teeth as she let the fire spark to life once more to burn through the ropes that wrapped around her legs.

As the ropes slid to the floor in a silent whisper, Nanao allowed herself a grim smile as she stood up to unsteadily walk to the doorway. Reaching the simple-almost crude-door, it swung open with a creak to reveal a labyrinth of stone walls and firelight. Eyes widening, she looked in despair at the branching hallways before hesitantly starting her walk through the maze hoping no monster waited for her.

The remaining five sat there in one of the rooms as they tried to wrap their mind around the fact of kidnapping. Gin and Rangiku sat on one of the beds, Unohana and Ukitake on the other as Kyouraku paced back and forth between the four as he wore down the floorboards of the room.

"Kyouraku-kun you need to calm down." Remarked Unohana as she watched him pace back and forth, tension emanating from his body. Whirling around sharply, Kyouraku's face was a mix of worry and anger, "How can I calm down? Some brute has kidnapped Nanao and we have no idea what's happened to her!" He snapped to Unohana, his nerves on the edge. In reply however, Unohana merely raised an eyebrow and seemed to mentally reprimanded him.

Kyouraku sighed and seemed to almost deflate as he slumped down against the wall, his eyes hidden by his hat as he spoke,

"My apologies Retsu-chan." He said miserably as he rubbed his temples against the headache that was beginning to rage.

"We need to find her!" Rangiku said suddenly as she sat straight up, her eyes flashing dangerously as a fire took hold. Everyone looked up in amazement at the girl except for Gin who sighed resignedly before quietly muttering,

"Just as impulsive as always. Glad to see you haven't changed." Shooting a quick glare at him Rangiku stuck her tongue out before continuing,

"Let's do something, call the police, search every inch of the town, I don't care, but Nanao has to be found!" She said, her eyes begging with each of the group.

A groan sounded through the room as Gin fell back on the bed his smile a bit pained as Rangiku turned her gaze to him, "Ran! You know I can't refuse you when you use that look! It's no fair if you use it!" Gin objected as he glared at her for a moment before falling back and groaning out, "Fine, I'll ask around. I've made some friends in the past few years so I can see if they know anything. Though no calling the police, they've put a hundred dollar bounty on our heads." He warned, knowing his words fell on deaf ears as Rangiku and Kyouraku darted out of the room. Sighing, Gin trudged out of the room, a tolerant smile on his lips.

Blinking, Ukitake and Unohana sat there in the now empty room as the yells slowly faded away, they got up and with knowing smiles went off to find where the hurricane Kyouraku had disappeared too.

_**Preview**_

_Her clothes were torn and blood had begun to soak into the simple fabric of the dress she wore. The clip in her hair had fallen out and her dark hair framed her face as her eyes frantically searched the stone walls that seemed to continue on forever. A roar filled the air as her eyes widened and sweat trickled down her suddenly pale face. Her hands rose up to conjure a fireball that lasted only seconds before sputtering out. A shadow appeared at the end of the hallway._


	7. Not a Chance

A big thanks to all my readers and especially my reviewers. I don't own Bleach.

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><p><strong>Not a Chance<strong>

The room was dark except for a lit candle that sat in the center of a plain, rickety, wooden table. The quavering light of the candle reflects off a glimmer of silver hair and catlike, golden eyes. A deep voice speaks in the darkness, as the golden eyes focus on Gin,

"Do you really want to know what has happened to this friend of yours?" The voice asks as the golden eyes remain fixed on the smiling fox that sat across the table. Gin says nothing only nodding and leaning in closer as the deep voice whispers the name. His eyes flash open for a quick moment to reveal the color of ice before abruptly getting up from the chair and bowing,

"Thank you Yoruichi." He rushed out the door, leaving a trace of wind in his wake.

The candle is taken and lights several of the other candles that lay about the small room. The flickering light show Yoruichi, a woman with golden eyes, long purple hair tied in a high ponytail, and a man who comes to take the now empty seat. The man speaks as he tilts the green and white hat over his pale, blonde hair to shadow his eyes,

"Do you truly think they'll survive fighting that man?" The blonde man asked, leaning back in the chair with a practiced ease,

"I hope so Kisuke." Says the woman as she looks upward at the ceiling,

"I hope so."

Beneath his Cheshire grin, Gin's mind spun rapidly as he recalled the name that Yoruichi had given him. His smile twisted to a bitter smirk for a mere moment as his lips curled around the name with a snarl,

"Aizen."

Her clothes were torn and blood had begun to soak into the simple fabric of the dress she wore. The clip in her hair had fallen out and her dark hair framed her face as her eyes frantically searched the stone walls that seemed to continue on forever. A snarl filled the air as her eyes widened and sweat trickled down her suddenly pale face. Her hands rose up to conjure a fireball that lasted only seconds before sputtering out. Nanao spun around to face the monsters as she reached a dead end.

After Gin had finished the relaying information he had gathered, a slam filled the room as flesh met wood and Kyouraku's face turned dark,

"Who is this monster Aizen that has kidnapped Nanao?" He growled, ready to charge outside to apprehend the man. Gin sighed and a pained grin appeared on his face as he drew a breath to before he began to tell his tale.

"Before I met Ran over there, I had been on the streets for about a month. During that month was when I met Aizen." He said, his face darkening at the mere mention of his name, shaking his head, Gin rid himself of the dark grin before continuing his story,

"He seemed nice, nice enough to take me in after I got beat up by a couple of older boys. He healed me and allowed me to stay there. For a week or two, it was all fine, until he suddenly changed. He had brought me to a meeting and something went wrong. The others at the meeting began to yell, and Aizen, Aizen just killed them all in cold blood." Gin said flatly to keep all the anger and fear out of his voice as the memory came flooding back. Shaking his head once more and plastering the Cheshire grin back on his face and Gin continued to narrate, "I managed to escape in the end, I was lucky." He stated,

"Aizen is a cruel, ruthless, greed driven man. There's your motive, Nanao's part of a wealthy merchant's family and he decided to kidnap her for ransom or…" Gin paused, suddenly unsure as he thought of the other possibility that Yoruichi had given him,

"…or he could have kidnapped her to enslave her." Gin said darkly. All faces snapped to face Gin.

Before her, snarling stood a pack of wolves. They slowly padded closer to her as Nanao continued to back up until her back hit the wall. The wolves' eyes glittered as the click of their claws grew closer and the eerie glow that seemed to emit from their silver fur grew brighter, Nanao scraped together the last traces of her magic as her hands began to glow a weak, pallid light.

Behind the wolves stood a man that looked startlingly like Kyouraku with his brown hair, stubble on his cheeks, and quiet-almost lazy manner. However a few differences set the two apart, the man cut his hair short and his eyes were dead, steely grey that stared indifferently at the girl.

The wolves stopped short around three feet away from Nanao as she glared at them, a trace of fear visible in her eyes as the ice blue fire wavered uncertainly in her hands,

"Will you come peacefully? I would prefer not to fight." Starting at the sound of the man's voice, Nanao carefully examined the man before steeling herself, releasing the binding spell, and ran, hoping to make it past the man and the wolves. She didn't. The man had broken through her spell as if it were nothing more than paper before grabbing her by the arm and holding a gun to the back of her neck,

"I ask again, will you come willingly?" The man said a trace of regret in his voice as he held the pistol against her neck. Slowly, resignedly, Nanao nodded her eyes filled with frustration and just a touch of despair as the man led her back to her cell.

"WHAT?" Kyouraku's voice boomed as his hands slamming down into the worn wood of the table once more as his eyes darkened for a moment before he regained control. Nodding, Gin continued, his smile becoming strained as he continued on,

"That is how Aizen has become so wealthy. He's gained all his wealth on the pretense that he's a merchant when in reality he's a slave seller. I have been told the man kidnaps people after observing them for a few days and than selling them off into different countries where slavery's still allowed. Nanao would be a valuable slave with her knowledge and magical abilities." By the time Gin had finished, Kyouraku had stormed out of the room, his eyes dark and stormy,

"That man will not live another day." Kyouraku growled as he walked off, driving a chill down the spines of all who saw him.

However, back at the tavern, Gin, Rangiku, Unohana, and Ukitake sat at the table, silently digesting the dire information given to them. Rangiku seemed particularly subdued as she sat there, staring at a spot on the table before finally speaking,

"Gin? Do you know the location of this Aizen?" She asked, her glare unwavering as she stared at the spot on the table, burning a hole in it. Flashing a smile, Gin said nothing, only nodded before getting up from his chair along with the others, leaving the tavern quietly and onto the streets.

Bindings tied her to her chair once more, though this time they were enchanted to prevent her magic. Nanao glared at the chains with an wavering eyes before hearing the door creak open.

"Did you think you could get away?" Her eyes turned to glare at the blurry, featureless face as she, in an act of defiance, spit in the man's face.

CRACK! The man's hand hit her face, turning her neck at a painful angle as her cheek began to throb painfully,

"Look what you made me do." Said the man disapprovingly before walking out the door. Nanao finally allowed a few tears to trickle down her stinging cheek.

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><p>I hope most of you recognize the man with the gun! Please review!<p> 


	8. Noble In Danger

Sorry for the long wait! Here's the next chapter please review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

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><p><strong>Noble In Danger<strong>

After putting the girl in the room for Aizen, Starrk quietly left the building, his wolves quickly disappearing. His mind was idly thinking of the girl as he remembered her mostly clear gaze, slightly unfocused as she attempted to keep herself standing. A small part of him regretted having to take her to Aizen, such a waste…no. Shaking his head, he stepped into the darkening streets, his gray eyes showing a trace of regret and anger before disappearing behind their mask once more.

Making his way through the twisting alleyways, Kyouraku brooded, a dark cloud surrounding him, scaring all nearby inhabitants. His eyes remained flat and lightless as his mind began to whir with plans and ideas while his feet soon carried him to a plain door with a sign so worn, the words were unintelligible except for a chipped letter C.

Looking up with darkened eyes, he pushed the door open to reveal a dimly lit room with rickety chairs and tables scattered about the room. Sitting down on a torn seat he stared at the grain of the wooden bar, tracing the patterns over and over again. A glass of clear, amber liquid coasted to a gentle stop an inch away from his elbow.

His stare turned to the glass, uncomprehending for a moment before he took the glass in his hand and took a gulp of the amber liquid. Grimacing, Kyouraku looked up to meet the eyes of a man that sat two chairs away. Kyouraku's eyes lit up with recognition while the eyes of the man stared on with mild interest,

"Hello Starrk, still no taste in alcohol I see." Kyouraku said, a weak smile plastered across his face as he turned to the man. Starrk examined Kyouraku for a moment before finishing the last sip from the glass before him,

"What's wrong?" Starrk asked as his glass was set down, the ice cubes clinking in the now empty glass. The fake smile slowly faded from Kyouraku's face as he stared moodily into the half full glass of amber liquor.

His story began slowly and picked up speed as his face turned stoic and unmoving,

"Someone very precious has been taken from me, though I have no ideas to where I can find her and if I cannot find her soon, she will face two very unsavory choices. What makes it worse is that I could've prevented it yet I was unable to." Shaking his head and grimacing, Kyouraku finished the last of the alcohol in his glass. Starrk's eyes softened as he heard Kyouraku's problem, he knew loneliness well and suffered from it quite often,

"Tell me what she looks like, I've got a few friends in the underworld that may be able to help." Starrk offered as he called the bartender over to order another round of drinks.

Eyes suddenly sparking, a glimpse of Kyouraku's normal self appeared as he began his description that was filled with poetical nonsense which Starrk ultimately ignored. Soon he was processing the useful information hidden beneath all the frills that Kyouraku had spouted and his eyes widened the slightest bit as he pieced everything together.

Heaving a small sigh, Starrk turned to face Kyouraku to speak, "I think I know where this friend of yours is." Kyouraku's eyes turned sharply towards him as he spoke and grasped Starrk by the shoulders,

"Where is she?" His voice went dark as his grip tightened. Shrugging off the tight grip as if it were nothing but the brush of a feather, Starrk reached over to grab a napkin and quickly scrawled an address on the paper with a pen he pulled from his jacket. Wordlessly, he handed it to Kyouraku who muttered a few words of gratitude before rushing out,

"Thank you." Raising his glass to him, Starrk quickly threw it back as he mentally thought,

"_Good luck my friend. I hope you find her." _On his face was a rare smile as he walked out of the bar.

Giving a quick glance at the stubborn girl walking beside him, arms crossed, Gin shook his head, still as stubborn as ever. Catching the movement from the corner of her eye, Rangiku frowned as she glared at him mulishly. A flicker of movement drew Rangiku's eye as Gin's eyes flashed open for a moment as they neared the doorway.

Turning to Rangiku, Gin's eyes questioned her silently,

"_Do you really want to do this?" _Rangiku said nothing, only stepping forward to push open the door revealing a candle lit room where Yoruichi and Urahara stood quietly talking.

Following Rangiku into the room, Gin tilted his head as he leaned forward to rest his hands on the worn, wooden table, as his voice quietly stated his request,

"Please, give us the address to Aizen's headquarters. It is of the utmost importance that you hurry." Raising an eyebrow, Yoruichi leaned back, her golden eyes trained on the man as she carefully phrased her answer,

"What makes you think we have the address of this man?" Smirking, Gin slowly rose from his tensed position,

"You two know everything that happens in this city. You know." He said simply as he forced himself to relax while he stared at the pair. Breaking the silence with a whisper, Rangiku looked up, her eyes pleading,

"Please help us, we need this address to find someone." Suddenly, Urahara stepped forward, his eyes hidden by his hat as he set a small piece of white paper on the table between them,

"Here's the address. I wish you the best of luck."

After the two had left, Yoruichi slumped down in a chair, hand at her forehead as she lifted her head and stared at Urahara with narrowed eyes,

"What are you planning Kisuke? You know just as well as I do that they don't stand a chance against Aizen." Leaning back in his chair with his hat tipped over his eyes, Urahara looked at the door with an appraising look,

"We'll just wait and see, they just might do it."

Glaring hatefully at the man who had just entered the room, the few tears that Nanao had allowed to trickle down her cheeks had already mixed with the blood from the gash on her cheek. Clucking his tongue, Aizen mockingly shook his head as he hit her once more, as the beginnings a bruise appeared on her face while the left side of her face began to swell,

"Do not look at me in such a disrespectful manner." Aizen stated coldly while he turned around, an unseen smirk on his face while he spoke,

"Besides, soon you won't be my problem, I have come across an offer for you. Hope you don't get seasick easily, because you'll be stuck on a boat in an hour and in a week you'll be turned to property." Staring at the man's retreating back, Nanao's eyes flared for a moment as her mouth quickly flung out words that she would later regret,

"I hope you rot away in hell you egotistical, vile man!" Nanao spat out, at Aizen's now still back. Slowly turning around, a smirk grew on his face as Aizen loomed over Nanao,

"You will come to regret that, girl."


	9. Not in Time! Part 1

**I'm so sorry for taking so long! I couldn't figure out how to write it until a burst of inspiration hit me allowing me to create this chapter. So I'm splitting Chapter 9 into two part because it was getting way too long. So thank you for sticking with me and please review! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

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><p><strong>Not in Time?<strong>

The galloping of horse hooves filled the quiet nighttime as a man, hidden by the shadows, rode in on a horse, lathered in sweat. Flashes of his face could be seen when he passed through the dim streetlights, these flashes allowed eyes filled with determination, clothes blown askew by the wind, and a piece of paper fluttering in his tight grasp to be seen in the dark night.

Kyouraku gave a quick glance down at the piece of paper, checking the numbers as he reined in his horse, slowing it to a walk and finally stopping it in front of a dilapidated building. Swinging off his horse, he tied its reins to the branch of a tree, finally allowing the stolen horse to rest as he picked his way towards the doorway, which was half hidden in shadows. A glint of silver winked at him as he neared the door. His eyes adjusting to the dark and he could see a silver padlock chaining the door tightly shut.

Walking around the building, he tested the windows, he tested for weaknesses in the building, a mistake that would allow him in. There was not a single one.

"Someone's been fixing the place up." Kyouraku muttered under his breath as he hesitated at a window, debating the advantages and disadvantages to breaking a window. Shaking his head, he turned a corner, finishing his full circuit of the building and allowing him to see a carriage waiting on the side of the road.

Four dark figures were stepping off an unknown carriage as Kyouraku rounded the bend. One of the figures-a taller then average, slender male-was talking to the driver. The driver nodded before snapping his reins and driving off into the dark. The four figures approached the door, quietly talking as they encountered the chains and lock.

Creeping up on the group, Kyouraku watched as the same male as before knelt down before the door. Grabbing hold of the nearest person, he thrust his sword against her neck as she stiffened, unmoving. "Do not move." Kyouraku growled in the woman's ear before speaking louder for the rest to hear his proposition,

"I am not a violent person and I do not wish to harm any of you but I must get in that building and will harm you if necessary." He threatened, his eyes were serious yet anxiety tinged his eyes, as he stood aside to allow the three to step past him into the pallid moonlight.

Resigned to their fate, the three stepped into the revealing moonlight. Kyouraku's eyes grew large as his sword fell to his side limply,

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, his head hanging as his eyes were thrown in shadow. Before him stood Unohana, her hand rubbing at her throat; Ukitake, his face paler then normal as a sigh of relief came from his lips; Gin, his ever present smile on his face; and Rangiku, her face indignant as she crossed her arms and glared at him.

Gin crouched down in front of the lock his probing fingers examined every facet of the lock and chain before turning back to the group,

"I think I can pick it," Gin drawled as he nodded to himself, "in fact I know I can. I just need a pin or something." He said, his ice blue eyes flashing open for a brief moment before shutting once again as he waited.

Kyouraku quickly reached back to his messy, wind-blown hair as his hands hesitated for a brief moment, hovering above his head, before pulling the two pinwheel pins from his hair. "Will these work?" He asked, the deceptively expensive pins lying in the center of his palm. Nodding, Gin took the two pins with pale fingers and delicately inserted them into the lock.

A hiss of frustration and pain filled the room as Nanao pulled at the enchanted ropes once more, the rough rope chafing her wrists as blood trickled down her pale skin. The sound of the crimson blood hitting the floor was hidden by the footsteps of a man as he entered the room, his smug attitude palpable in the thickening air.

"The ship that will take you to your buyer is about to arrive." Aizen stated in a chilly, triumphant voice as he mocked her, thinking of the money he would make off her as soon as she got on the boat. Yes, he would make quite a profit off this mage.

"My father will search for me throughout all the world, he will never stop until he finds me!" Nanao snarled with conviction, though she wondered, why hadn't anyone come for her yet? As if sensing her thoughts, Aizen smirked,

"So why haven't you been rescued yet?" He taunted, chuckling as he walked behind her, slicing through the magic bonds with a knife, purposely nicking her already damaged hands.

He clucked his tongue, examining the wounds as he blocked the ball of flames that was thrown at him with two very familiar silver bracelets. A trace of fear ran through her uncovered eyes before she hid behind her cold, emotionless mask…yet she couldn't get rid of a barely noticeable trace of fear and resentment. As Aizen clasped the confining silver bracelets on her bleeding hands, Nanao could feel her magic getting sucked into the charmed silver.

"Come on, we need to get you to the ship!" Aizen said with a falsely cheery voice while brutally pushing her out the door as he pressed his knife to the back of her neck. Suddenly, a blaring siren filled the hallways. Aizen smirked,

"Ah it looks like your saviors are here, this should get interesting."

Kyouraku cursed under his breath as the alarm began to sound, he thought they had missed one! A horrible, familiar coughing entered his range of hearing as he spun around to see Ukitake on the ground, blood seeping between his paling fingers and the coughs wracking his frail body.

"Jyuu are you alright?" Kyouraku asked, quickly kneeling beside the sick man as he handed him a handkerchief, knowing from painful experience that he could do nothing. Giving a small smile, Ukitake accepted the handkerchief, cleaning his hands,

"I'm fine Shun, you-" He managed before a cough interrupted his words,

"-go on ahead." Ukitake gasped before coughing into the handkerchief, turning the white fabric red.

With sorrow filled eyes, Unohana knelt beside the coughing man as she examined his gaunt face, normally no man could take him down yet it wouldn't be a man who took him down but an illness. Looking back up, she spoke quietly, her voice even and steady even as her eyes spoke of the thinly veiled havoc being wrought upon her,

"You three go ahead, I'll take care of Jyuushirou, no need to worry. You need to find Nanao-San or you might lose her forever." Gin and Rangiku nodded and rushed forward to dispatch the last group of guards that were heading their way, knowing Ukitake was in good hands. Kyouraku hesitated, his worried eyes focusing on his best friend before he was waved on by both Ukitake and Unohana. Finally, he hurried ahead to catch up with Gin and Rangiku as the two went on ahead.

Neither of them were breathing hard, they neatly dispatched the guards with hits over the head or the mere pinches of a pressure point. They were faring quite well and were having a breather before the next wave of guards came for them when two figures approached from the shadows. Rangiku and Gin tensed as the two stepped forward into the light.

Rangiku cried out with rage at the sight of Nanao's battered frame and the man that held her captive while Gin's smile twisted with anger at the familiar face. Silently the two charged forward with no warning, their swords held aloft as they attacked.

Watching with a cold smile, Aizen slammed the hilt of his knife into the back of Nanao's head, allowing her inert body to slip to the ground before turning to face his attackers, the handle of the knife splattered with Nanao's blood as the clash of metal resounded through the hallway.


	10. Not in Time! Part 2

****I realize I haven't update in forever but don't worry, here is the next part! Sorry for the long wait and I hope you enjoy it! Please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

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><p><strong>Not on Time? Part Two<strong>

The three blades continued to collide and fall apart at a faster and faster rate, sparks flying and skittering across the floor before dying out. Gritting her teeth as she brushed her blonde hair back from her eyes yet again, Rangiku pushed herself to the limits as she tried to break through Aizen's seemingly impenetrable defense. Bruises and minor cuts had begun to accumulate across their bodies as their blood trickled from the small wounds.

Heaving a quiet, reluctant sigh as he fended off the poisoned blade of Gin's sword, Aizen checked his pocket watch before sighing once again. Shaking his head mockingly, Aizen suddenly froze, boredom already replacing his smug smirk when a fountain of blood erupted from his chest where Gin had struck. Gin's smile remained on his face even after a sharp sword sprouted from his stomach, a puddle of red spreading from the blade dripping in blood.

The moment stretched impossibly, turning brief seconds into long hours. The sword withdrew in a shower of blood as Aizen stepped out of thin air, his blood stained sword hanging at his side and mocking laughter on his lips. Gin had frozen for a moment like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut before collapsing on the ground, a cough staining his paling lips red. Aizen slipped past the Rangiku's frozen form, his bloodied sword back in its sheathe. Aizen picked Nanao's prone form up and slung her over his shoulder, already making his way for the exit.

He was stopped by a hoarse whisper which seemed inches away from turning into a death rattle that managed a single word before ending in coughs that wracked his entire body.

"How?" Turning to look over his shoulder, smug smirk on his face, Aizen drew his sword and tapped a black stone imbedded at the hilt, its surface reflecting no light,

"I forced a mage to enchant my sword with the ability to create illusions…right before I killed her." He said with a satisfied chuckle,

"Couldn't have anyone divulging my little secret and now that you two know it, I suppose I'll have to kill her too." Aizen remarked waving his sword in Rangiku's direction.

At the mention of her death, Rangiku finally unfroze, her sword put up a flare of determination lighting her eyes as she stood in a steady position, though fear still lingered in her eyes. Even while blood welled up from his wound with every beat of his heart, Gin's grin turned ice cold as he lunged forward, his eyes flashing ice blue.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" He snarled as his hand pressed against his wound and his blood splattered against the ground. The blood leaking through his fingers, Gin promptly collapsed on the floor, his blood beginning to pool. Without another word, Aizen raised his sword and swept it down like an executioner's blade cutting the head of a criminal. Breaking past her defenses, Aizen opened a cut across her torso diagonally, blood spilling out as the life in her eyes flickered.

Kyouraku rushed through the hallways, his swords only blurs in the air as he knocked aside the guards that got in his way. A trail of inert bodies lay behind him as he came to an abrupt stop. Eyes widening as he quickly sheathed his swords, he knelt, blood beginning to soak into his pants, staining it a deep red. Pressing his fingers into their wrists one by one, he searched desperately for a pulse, a throb, a sign of life.

THERE! Weakly throbbing but still there, her pulse. She was still alive. Relief flooded through him as he gently set Rangiku's hand down before quickly turned to Gin and flipping him over to lay on his back. It didn't look good. He looked worse then Rangiku did with blood covering every possible surface, pallid skin beneath the crimson, and the hole in his stomach gaping mockingly.

With bated breath, Kyouraku pressed his fingers against Gin's wrist with blood covered fingers. Nothing. No beat that could be felt under his probing fingers. Wide eyed, Kyouraku quickly held his hand in front of Gin's face, hoping for just a flutter of air that would tell him he was alive.

"Come on, come on. Gin you can pull through this. You're stronger then this." Kyouraku muttered under his breath as his hands began to shake. Steeling himself, Kyouraku raised his hand, ready to try again when his ears picked up the sound of footsteps.

One set seemed almost strained, like the person had been carrying something heavy. The other set were unsteady and forced, the equivalent of a staggering drunk man. Picking up his swords, Kyouraku waited for the footsteps to take the last turn before showing themselves. Just as Kyouraku lunged forward to press his sword against the throat of the first person who showed themselves, a slightly strained, familiar voice made its way to his ears,

"You know, Kyouraku-Kun, I hope you aren't making this a habit." Unohana commented lightly, her tone dry as she shifted Ukitake's weight onto her other shoulder. Remaining silent as he took Ukitake's weight from Unohana, Kyouraku opened his mouth after laying Ukitake out on one of the few patches ground that didn't have blood splattered across it,

"Gin. I can't find a pulse."

She immediately went to work checking for any hint of a breath, for a pulse of his heart, anything, her eyes becoming more and more worried as she continued. Kyouraku worked on making his halfway lucid best friend as comfortable as he could be laying on the ground. Wiping a stray drop of blood from the corner of his mouth using his sleeve, Kyouraku felt a sudden, insistent tugging on the edge of his robe. Looking down, he met a pair of eyes, glazed over with pain though a determined light shone in her eyes.. Confusion flickered across his face as Rangiku pulled at his shoulder before Kyouraku finally inclined his head so Rangiku could speak,

"Nanao, go. Go get her. Aizen is taking her to the boat. Hurry." She managed to whisper in a quiet rasp before she began to grimace and grip at her midriff, trying to slow the flow of her blood.

War waged within him as two different forces pulled at him. There were friends that needed him here, one of them could already be dead and more could die if he left but Nanao was slowly growing farther and farther from his reach.

"Shun." A voice broke through his inner turmoil that had left him lost in his own thoughts. Opening his eyes, Kyouraku stared at Ukitake who had made his way to the wall, leaning heavily on it, beads of sweat sliding down his forehead, though his eyes were clear and calm.

"Go." Silently, Kyouraku nodded before running out of the room, his eyes clearing as he drew both swords, ready to fight the kidnapper.

Treading lightly, Kyouraku went straight down, his attention only briefly disturbed by the odd guard every now and then. Needless to say, they were all taken down. Skidding around the corner as the path split into a T, he looked down both ways frantically, his eyes taking in the hallways. Which way should he go? If he took the wrong path…no he couldn't think about that right now, he had to choose. Right or left?

The sound of a latch clicking shut echoed through the empty hallways. Kyouraku turned to the noise, his hands clamping down tighter on his swords, his eyes narrowing. It had come from the left. Running at a full sprint, Kyouraku burst through the wooden door in a shower of splinters. Taking in his surroundings, he turned, his swords keening as they carved a deadly arch in the air.

Waves lapped at the edge of the port he stood on, the harbor empty with the exception of a ship that was slowly pulling away from the edge of the harbor, a simple white flag with a black circle waving at the top of the mast.


	11. Noble Ending Pt 1

Glaring with an animosity that would scare most men, Nanao pulled at the cuffs half heartedly, not bothering to grimace at the chafing of the silver. Aizen was not most men. His hands were toying with his sword, creating random illusions with a bored expression on his face. "Would you stop glaring at me?" He asked with an arched eyebrow though his mockingly disapproving look was soon replaced with a slow smile. Voice slow and steady, his face smooth as he turned the sword to reflect his face, Aizen cast an analyzing look, his eyes cold and bright,

"You know, I've always wondered about the human mind," Aizen mused. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, they flashed back open as he smiled,

"And here's my perfect chance." Aizen said just as the door swung open to collide with the wall with a slam. Standing there was Shunsui Kyouraku, eyes fervent and his body heaving with each breath that he took.

Hope and despair fought for dominance in her unfocused eyes as a quiet, familiar voice reached her ears,

"Nanao-Chan?" Fighting tears as she opened her mouth to reply, a much too loud splatter was heard as the red registered in Nanao's blurry sight. Her heart shattered as she lunged forward, the silver cuffs yanking at her hands again as her sight blurred even further with tears. Incomprehensible words spilled from her mouth as she screamed, her rage and sadness .

"Well this WILL be interesting." Aizen's voice commented with a hint of amusement in his brittle, cold voice. The pink blur disappeared as Nanao's eyes widened, tears spilling over astonished eyes that slowly turned to the man who lounged on his throne, a sword reflecting a contemplating look when the door slammed open again, revealing an identical Shunsui Kyouraku. Her eyes widened as tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks as the scene was replayed. Soon, pain had been replaced by a vacant stare that absorbed it without any realization.

"Now we can't have this now can we?" Aizen muttered, exerting his will to continue the illusions as he left the room, the definite click of the lock doing nothing to shake her from her own mind.

Stealing…err, "borrowing" a small boat from the harbor, Kyouraku convinced himself that he would return it by morning…if he was still alive. Shaking his head, he admonished himself, what was wrong with him? Usually he was the optimist, a thought came to him as he gave a hard bark of laughter. Maybe it was the situation. Glancing upwards at the small flag that snapped and waved in the night breeze, he cursed out, uncaring about the people he could be waking. It seemed even the gods were against him, it would take a lot longer with the wind blowing like this, it was slanting the wrong direction for maximum speed.

"Damn it!" He muttered under his breath, his hands going through the familiar actions of unfurling the sail. Pulling the rope taut, he raised his wakizashi, mentally apologizing for sending it through the menial task as he sliced through the salt hardened rope. Directing the sail of the sailboat, he looked at the larger boat that was beginning to disappear in the distance, the moon illuminating the ocean.

"Just wait a bit longer." He said just as the boat began to move, pushed on by the wind, letting them drift just a little closer.

Tending to Ukitake with his ill timed sickness, along with her two other patients, all of them on the edge of critical and her own tools being her own two hands, the bare necessities that came from a first aid kid and whatever could be found in the room, her outlook was bleak. Further problems were added as guards began to wake, the sound of groaning filling the hallways. Looking up with what seemed like a flash of brief fear, Unohana drew her rarely used katana as she waited for the guards to enter the room.

"Ah, hello gentleman." Spoke a somewhat familiar voice as the twin thuds of bodies hitting the floor replaced the groans. Clacking in on his sandals, she found the two familiar figures once more.

"Yoruichi-San, Urahara-san."

Anchoring the small boat he borrowed to the much larger boat, Kyouraku climbed up the edge, finding the smooth sides of the ship close to impossible to climb up. Gritting his teeth, his fingers clenching the tiny cracks that he had purchase in and continued to climb. Unable to hold on for long, he slung an arm over the railing, past caring about any guards that could have seen him and clambered onto the deck…and he was immediately greeted by a hulking guard.

Dressed in what seemed expensive armor that would protect him from nearly everything short of a cannon, his weapon of choice was a broadsword that could possibly cleave Kyouraku's head from his shoulders. Ducking, the sword slicing the air inches above his head, he aimed low, the hilt of his sword driving into a literal chink in the armor. Gasping for breath, the hired man crouched over, hand releasing the sword and wrapping around his stomach as Kyouraku hit the exposed base of his neck and effectively knocked him out cold. The stomp of metal boots hitting the wooden deck approached as Kyouraku practically growled,

"I don't have time for this!" He muttered under his breath, drawing his wakizashi while waiting for the steady stomp of boots to reach him. Aizen looked up from his dinner, hand gripping a wine glass raised lazily to his lips. Languidly swallowing, he arched a skeptical eyebrow,

"My, my I wonder what mouse has come to play?" He asked, setting down the glass lightly, red wine gleaming dully in the candlelight as he began to eat, unconcerned by the thuds of bodies and the stomp of armored feet. Panting with exertion from the seemingly endless numbers of men that attacked him from all sides, Kyouraku looked around desperately to find an escape from the army of faceless men, his eyes haunted at the amount of red which leaked onto the floor. Seeing a staircase that led to the upper decks, Kyouraku fought his way over, eyes lost in the masses of bloodshed as his feet climbed up the stairs mechanically. Taking in the new surroundings, his eye was caught by one of the only areas of interest,

"That could work." He muttered his eyes gaining a spark before sheathing both swords and leaping past the swarms of guards to grab the wheel which guided the ship. Smiling happily in a bright moment of absolute mirth as one of the guards looked at him uncertainly,

"What are you doing?" Blocking an attempt at slicing him in two, Kyouraku took a tight grip on the railing before spinning the wheel with a flick of his hand. Giving a panicked expression as the boat first slowly and then quickly began to tilt. Several of the guards slipping over the rail, Kyouraku darted through the panicking throngs to slip in through the door left ajar. Sighing in relief, the young man that had called out earlier stared woefully at his stinging fingers before looking around. Where did the intruder go?!

Looking up dully, the newly dead Kyouraku laying in the pool of blood which had begun in the room, Nanao showed a flash of alarm as the room tipped to the side. Flying off to slam into a wall, Nanao flinched, her eyes flickered and registered the pain before dissolving once more into numbness.

Room flipping to the side and drops of wine flying from his glass, Aizen stared at the dots of red on the tablecloth with an odd, detached interest before carefully setting down the glass after draining it. Soundlessly standing up and pressing his thumb to the gem which lay imbedded in the hilt of his sword, Aizen gave a slight, nearly imperceptible nod to the clone that suddenly appeared next to him. Disappearing from sight as the door slammed open to splinters of wood as it broke in revealing a pissed off Kyouraku Shunsui, swords already drawn and not at all sorry about the broken door.

"You. You're the one that took Nanao." A smile sprouted across the cloned Aizen as he spoke, his chin tilting up to look down upon the tall man.

"And what are you planning to do about it?"

Lifting her head to stare at the confusedly at the red stain that was being bleached from the gray ground, Nanao's eyes flickered with a form of light as she looked around the bare room, the red stains slowly disappearing. Struggling to sit up, hands still constrained behind her back, Nanao looked around the empty room, her eyes turning to stare at the closed door. Eyes falling shut and head falling back to rest on the wall behind her, she waited for the door to slam open once more, revealing something, anything to end the fragile silence which remained in the room.

"I'm going to beat you and take Nanao with me." A raised eyebrow greeted the whispered statement, as the fake Aizen twirled his sword around errantly, handling it with a blatant ease and disregard as he replied, smile stretching out on his face.

"Simple plan isn't it?" Aizen asked mockingly, darting forward to appear right behind Kyouraku, eyes containing a glint of an unknown something.

"How could it go wrong?" He whispered quietly, laughing when Kyouraku lashed back, his katana driving through the space that Aizen once stood in. Sweat beginning to bead on his forehead, Kyouraku's body began to tense, eyes falling shut while he waited for the whisper of clothing that would speak of Aizen moving in the small room. Lashing out at the slightest sound, he shattered the empty glass which stood on the table, sending shards of glass throughout the room. "Damn you!" Kyouraku snarled in a lost moment of anger, his eyes boring into Aizen's as he perched in his seat, pouring himself some more wine into a new glass. Taking a sip from the glass, he dodged the sword that came flying at his head, letting it crash into the glass, throwing it to the ground, allowing shattered glass and splattered wine to litter the floor. Looking at the stain which spread across the ground with utter disdain, Aizen turned an identical look to Kyouraku that clearly said for him to clean up the mess he made. Fists tightening around the hilt of his sword, he forced his eyes closed, and trained his ears once more, hoping that it'd work.

He lashed out. An arch of blood splattered on the wall. A body hit the ground.

Kyouraku slumped against the wall, his breaths coming out heavier, clothes soaked in blood, and sweat running down in rivulets.

"So he managed to get a hit in?" He murmured in a strained whisper that belied the pain he felt from the knife that was embedded in his shoulder. His eyes sharpened and then dulled in an attempt to shake off the pain that emanated from the wound before he turned to the door, feet stumbling a few times, leaving a single body lying in the room behind him.

Nanao's ears picked up the gentle clicking of the door that would mean another vision to torture her with. Head tucking into her chest where she couldn't see the Kyouraku which would walk in, her voice came out in a monotone, all fight disappearing from her eyes,

"Don't bother. You're just going to die aren't you?" She asked, her voice broken and eyes refusing to look up in a final, minuscule act of defiance. She didn't hear any footsteps, did Aizen hear her? Was it a final act of mercy? A weak laugh broke from her lips, Aizen? Mercy? Those words certainly didn't belong in the same sentence. Kyouraku froze at the words which came from the slumped body in the center of the room. What did she mean? He approached cautiously, his pain momentarily forgotten as he stopped once more at the half deranged laugh that came from the body.

"Nanao?" He called out quietly, the barest trace of fear running beneath the single emotionally charged name. Nanao just smiled a smile that showed her tired and broken body and mind and managed a quiet 'Yes?' before falling unconscious.

Days passed after Kyouraku and Nanao made it off the ship, Nanao carefully held in Kyouarku's arms and his body slumping under the relief which threatened to show itself in the tears that would eventually start flowing. He almost made it to the shoreline before falling unconscious from the pain from pulling at the ropes, the knife now thrown to the floor of the boat, blood running freely from the wound in his shoulder. The two were found be Unohana and a slightly weakened Ukitake in the morning, just as the boat entered the harbor.

It took a week for both to heal enough to wake up. Soon though it had to happen.

Gin woke slowly, his head a haze of painkillers and dulled pain. He hated when this happened, the feeling that he couldn't do anything and could see everything. Trying to move one of his fingers became a chore, a frown tugged at his lips, especially with that weight on his hand, what was it? Changing his attention to try and move his head, he couldn't do much other than roll his eyes down to try and catch a glimpse of the weight on his fingers. A glimpse of strawberry blonde hair let the frown disappear from his face to be replaced with a smile as he drifted back to sleep.

Both sat at a table, sipping at hot tea, the steam comforting after the stress. Ukitake enjoyed the way it soothed his throat even if it was only momentary, Unohana enjoyed the taste of her favorite tea, imported from Japan. Both were aware of the brushes with death that surrounded them, but both were also aware of how they were all alive right now and that was enough for now. Of course their happiness had something to do with the way their hands were intertwined beneath the table.

Eyes opening slowly, Nanao looked around her surroundings, expecting hard floors and blood coating said floors. Instead she found herself in a soft bed, warm light streaming in from the windows, curtains drawn back to let the sunlight through. Running her fingers across the bedspread, she couldn't help but think, _was it all an illusion? Could Aizen be at work once more? It all felt so…so real though, how could it be fake? The door softly swung open just as she was reaching for her glasses which sat on the bedside table. Kyouraku stood there, bandage hidden under his loose clothing. Her fingers froze an inch away from the lenses, her eyes catching the now familiar figure. They stared at each other, each unable to say a word after seeing each other for the first time in weeks. Nanao's fingers closed around empty air, already preparing for the carnage she expected to happen. It was a good illusion. Nothing happened, time had remained frozen with Kyouraku in the center of it. Staring at him with a childishly confused expression on her face, Nanao reached out with a hand, _

"_Are you real?" Time returned to normal. Kyouraku moved forward to hug her, tears springing to both their eyes. She tried to wipe at them, but he wasn't letting her, just squeezing tighter, ignoring the protest that came from half healed injuries. They were both fine now. _

"_Well all's well that ends well?" Yoruichi asked, her tired eyes probing Urahara's hidden expression. Urahara looked up, removing his hat for once to lay it carefully on the table, his eyes averted from Yoruichi's. She stood, her arms crossing impatiently as a flare of irritation erupted in her eyes. _

"_What is it Kisuke? Everyone survived, we kept Gin and Rangiku alive with that prototype you had and Ukitake managed to stop coughing for a while with that experimental medicine that you had we're lucky that everyone's gotten through this alive!" She demanded, beginning to prowl around the room as if she were a cat. Finally looking up, Urahara smiled his customary grin before shaking his head, grabbing his hat and grabbing Yoruichi's arm to pull her closer, _

"_It's nothing." _


End file.
